Monday, November 19, 2012

Greenpeace: Dutch rappers against environmental pollution in Canada

Four famous Dutch rappers leave their comfort zone and explore the spectacular Canadian nature. From the giant tar sands in Alberta to the beautiful Great Bear Rainforest in Vancouver.

During their journey they make a rap about the beauty and the devastation they encounter. Their journey is part of a Dutch TV program ( in collaboration with Greenpeace) and it's called "Rappers in de sneeuw" ("Rappers in the Snow)"

When rappers Brace, Darryl, Keizer en Nega flew over the Canadian tar sands in a plane and saw the devastation, it shocked them. "Nothing can prepare you for the hell you witness in the middle of the mighty forests."

Activist Melina Laboucan-Massimo took the rappers to the tar sands (which are twice the size of The Netherlands) to show them the devastation. Melina is a member of the Lubicon Cree First Nation in Alberta, Canada, and a climate and energy campaigner with Greenpeace Canada. She is concerned about the impacts of tar sands development, saying, "What we're seeing happening to the communities around these projects are elevated rates of cancers, as well as elevated rates of respiratory illnesses like emphysema and asthma because there's air quality issues, there's contamination to the water, destruction and complete fragmentation of the Boreal forest.